Month: February 2020

Madonna – Open Your Heart (US 12″)

BURNING THE GROUND EXCLUSIVE 1986

NEW 2020 Transfer!
Meticulously Remastered!

Originally posted September 7, 2012

“Open Your Heart” is a song by American singer-songwriter Madonna. It was released as the fourth single from her third studio album True Blue on November 12, 1986, by Sire Records.

“Open Your Heart” debuted at 51 the week ending December 6, 1986, on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. It had a gradual rise and subsequently peaked the chart on February 7, 1987, becoming Madonna’s fifth number-one single on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. The single also had its success on the Billboard Hot Dance Club Play chart reaching number-one on February 14, 1987. The single was Madonna’s sixth entry on the Billboard Hot Adult Contemporary chart where it reached a peak of 12. In Canada, the song debuted at number 83 on the RPM chart on December 13, 1986, and reached a peak position of eight for the chart issue dated February 21, 1987. It placed at 68 on the RPM Year-end chart for 1987.

Internationally, it became a top ten hit in several European countries including the United Kingdom, Italy, Ireland, Netherlands, and Belgium. In the United Kingdom, the single debuted on the UK Singles Chart at number eight and subsequently reached a peak of four on December 13, 1986. The single was on the chart for nine weeks in total and was certified silver by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI) on December 1, 1986. According to The Official Charts Company, the song has sold 195,000 copies there. It also peaked at number four in Europe, thus becoming the only single from True Blue not to top the Eurochart Hot 100. In Australia, it only reached a peak of 16, breaking a run of nine consecutive top ten singles for Madonna in that country. Elsewhere, like in Switzerland, Austria, Germany, and France, it reached within the top 40 of the singles chart.

SIDE A:
Open Your Heart (Extended Version) 10:31
Keyboards [Additional] – Ed Terry
Producer [Additional Production], Remix [Mixing By] – Steve Thompson And Michael Barbiero*
*Written-By – Gardner Cole, Madonna, Peter Rafelson

SIDE B:
Open Your Heart (Dub) 6:39
Keyboards [Additional] – Ed Terry
Producer [Additional Production], Remix [Mixing By] – Steve Thompson And Michael Barbiero*
*Written-By – Gardner Cole, Madonna, Peter Rafelson

White Heat (LP Version) 4:35
Written-By – Madonna, Pat Leonard*

VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Sleeve: Near Mint

U.S. CHART HISTORY:

 

Year Single Chart Position
1987 Open Your Heart U.S. Billboard Hot 100 #1
1987 Open Your Heart U.S. Billboard Hot Dance Music/Club Play #1
1987 Open Your Heart U.S. Billboard Hot Adult Contemporary Songs #12

 

RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: Sire ‎– 9 20597-0, Sire ‎– 0-20597
Format: Vinyl, 12″, 45 RPM
Country: US
Released: 1986
Genre: Electronic
Style: Synth-pop

CREDITS:
Art Direction –Jeri McManus Heiden
Design – Kim Champagne
Photography By – Herb Ritts
Producer –Madonna, Patrick Leonard

NOTES:
From the Madonna LP “TRUE BLUE”

Find the 12″ at DISCOGS

VINYL RESTORATION BY:
-DjPaulT
burningtheground.net

EQUIPMENT USED:
Turntable: Pro-Ject Debut Carbon (DC)
Cartridge: Ortofon 2M
Stylus: Ortofon 2M Bronze
Isolation: Auralex Acoustics ISO-Tone Turntable Isolation Platform
Platter: Pro-Ject Acryl-It platter
Stabilizer: Pro-Ject Record Puck
DAC/Phono Pre-amp:
Alpha Design Labs GT40a USB DAC
Record Cleaning:
VPI HW 16.5 Record Cleaning Machine
Artwork Scans:
Epson Workforce WF-7610 Professional Printer/Scanner

SOFTWARE USED:
Recording/Editing: Adobe Audition 3.0 (Recording)
Down Sampling/Dither: iZotope RX Advanced 2
Artwork Editor: Adobe Photoshop CS5
Click Removal: Manual
FLAC/MP3 Conversion: dBpoweramp
M3U Playlist: Playlist Creator

RESTORATION NOTES:
All vinyl rips are recorded @ 32bit/float
FLAC (Level Eight)
Artwork scanned at 600dpi

Username: btg
Password: burningtheground

You can help show your support for this blog by making a donation using PayPal. Thank you for your help.

Stacey Q – Two Of Hearts (US 12″)

BURNING THE GROUND EXCLUSIVE 1986

“Two of Hearts” is a hit song released in 1986 by American singer Stacey Q. Pop singer Sue Gatlin co-wrote the tune along with John Mitchell and Tim Greene. Although Gatlin did record her own version, Stacey Q released her version first, and it would become the latter’s biggest hit.

Musically, “Two of Hearts” is a Hi-NRG song. It utilizes vocal sampling with the repetitive usage of the line “I Need You” in its hook. The lyrics of the song revolve around love and romance. “Two of Hearts” received positive reviews from music critics and was a commercial success. It entered the US Billboard Hot 100 chart in mid-July 1986, breaking into the Top 40 in mid-August, and peaking at number three during the autumn of that same year to become one of the highest-selling singles of 1986. “Two of Hearts” was ranked number twenty-seven in VH1’s 100 Greatest One Hit Wonders of the ’80s.

The accompanying music video was directed by Peter Lippman. It depicts Stacey Q dancing in front of a white background in various outfits and performing at a night club.

After the release of the album Playback (1983) with the band SSQ, Stacey Q began working with Jon St. James on her solo material. St. James brought her the song “Two of Hearts,” suggesting that she record it. “Two of Hearts” was a tune St. James initially produced for Sue Gatlin, who co-wrote the song with John Mitchell and Tim Greene, recording her own version. At first, Stacey Q refused to record a song written by someone else, but later she changed her mind and decided to record it.

Stacey Q’s first recording of the tune was released by On The Spot Records in 1985 and featured on her self-titled debut EP from the same year. Meanwhile, Gatlin had recorded her own version of the tune, although it would not be released until the following year. Stacey Q’s version was later taken by Atlantic Records and re-recorded to be released as the lead single from Q’s debut studio album Better Than Heaven (1986).

SIDE A:
Two Of Hearts (European Mix) 7:29

SIDE B:
Two Of Hearts (Dance Mix) 6:00
Two Of Hearts (Radio Edit) 3:45
Stacey’s Dream (A Capella) 2:35

VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Sleeve: Near Mint

U.S. CHART HISTORY:

Year Single Chart Position
1986 Two Of Hearts U.S. Billboard Hot 100 #3
1986 Two Of Hearts U.S. Billboard Hot Dance Music/Club Play #4
1986 Two Of Hearts U.S. Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs #56

 

RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: On The Spot ‎– NRS 116, NRS ‎– NRS 116
Format: Vinyl, 12″, 33 ⅓ RPM
Country: US
Released: 1986
Genre: Electronic
Style: Hi NRG

CREDITS:
Music By – SSQ
Producer – Jeff C. Fishman, Jon St. James
Producer [Associate Producer] – William J. Walker
Written-By – John Mitchell, Sue Gatlin, Tim Greene

NOTES:
135 BPM

Find the 12″ at DISCOGS

VINYL RESTORATION BY:
-DjPaulT
burningtheground.net

EQUIPMENT USED:
Turntable: Pro-Ject Debut Carbon (DC)
Cartridge: Ortofon 2M
Stylus: Ortofon 2M Bronze
Isolation: Auralex Acoustics ISO-Tone Turntable Isolation Platform
Platter: Pro-Ject Acryl-It platter
Stabilizer: Pro-Ject Record Puck
DAC/Phono Pre-amp:
Alpha Design Labs GT40a USB DAC
Record Cleaning:
VPI HW 16.5 Record Cleaning Machine
Artwork Scans:
Epson Workforce WF-7610 Professional Printer/Scanner

SOFTWARE USED:
Recording/Editing: Adobe Audition 3.0 (Recording)
Down Sampling/Dither: iZotope RX Advanced 2
Artwork Editor: Adobe Photoshop CS5
Click Removal: Manual
FLAC/MP3 Conversion: dBpoweramp
M3U Playlist: Playlist Creator

RESTORATION NOTES:
All vinyl rips are recorded @ 32bit/float
FLAC (Level Eight)
Artwork scanned at 600dpi

Username: btg
Password: burningtheground

You can help show your support for this blog by making a donation using PayPal. Thank you for your help.

Great Nation – Beat The Wall (Canada 12″)

BURNING THE GROUND EXCLUSIVE 1986

“Beat The Wall” is a 1986 single by Canadian new wave band Great Nation released on Wide Angle Records. This is the only single released by the band and there is really no other information about them. It’s a shame really because this record really is pretty good and they could have gone further. But for whatever reason, they disappeared into obscurity.

SIDE A:
Beat The Wall (Dance Mix) 6:38

SIDE B:
Beat The Wall 3:45
Criminal 3:24

VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Sleeve: Near Mint

RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: Wide Angle ‎– TTW 8672
Format: Vinyl, 12″, 45 RPM, Single
Country: Canada
Released: 1986
Genre: Electronic, Pop
Style: New Wave, Synth-pop

CREDITS:
Bass, Keyboards, Vocals – John Schech
Drums, Percussion – Robert Browne
Guitar, Keyboards, Vocals – Paul Aaron (3)
Lead Vocals, Keyboards, Synthesizer – Michael Ross Shephard
Mixed By – David Rivkin
Producer – Dale Goulet, Great Nation

NOTES:
Jacket printed in Canada

Find the 12″ at DISCOGS

VINYL RESTORATION BY:
-DjPaulT
burningtheground.net

EQUIPMENT USED:
Turntable: Pro-Ject Debut Carbon (DC)
Cartridge: Ortofon 2M
Stylus: Ortofon 2M Bronze
Isolation: Auralex Acoustics ISO-Tone Turntable Isolation Platform
Platter: Pro-Ject Acryl-It platter
Stabilizer: Pro-Ject Record Puck
DAC/Phono Pre-amp:
Alpha Design Labs GT40a USB DAC
Record Cleaning:
VPI HW 16.5 Record Cleaning Machine
Artwork Scans:
Epson Workforce WF-7610 Professional Printer/Scanner

SOFTWARE USED:
Recording/Editing: Adobe Audition 3.0 (Recording)
Down Sampling/Dither: iZotope RX Advanced 2
Artwork Editor: Adobe Photoshop CS5
Click Removal: Manual
FLAC/MP3 Conversion: dBpoweramp
M3U Playlist: Playlist Creator

RESTORATION NOTES:
All vinyl rips are recorded @ 32bit/float
FLAC (Level Eight)
Artwork scanned at 600dpi

Username: btg
Password: burningtheground

You can help show your support for this blog by making a donation using PayPal. Thank you for your help.

Boys Don’t Cry – Cities On Fire (US 12″)

BURNING THE GROUND EXCLUSIVE 1986

NEW 2020 Transfer!
Meticulously Remastered!

Originally posted January 12, 2012

“Cities On Fire” was the second single and follow up to their smash hit “I Wanna Be A Cowboy” by British pop/rock band Boys Don’t Cry from their self-titled debut album. “Cities On Fire”, an energetic rush of synth-rock which was released in 7″ and 12″ remix form, received early attention from MTV but failed to connect with fans of the novelty hit “I Wanna Be A Cowboy” and didn’t receive enough airplay to create a new fanbase. The single failed to chart sealing the band’s fate and turning them into a one-hit wonder.

SIDE A:
Cities On Fire (U.S. Mix) 6:02

SIDE B:
Cities On Fire (Instrumental) 5:29

VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Sleeve: Near Mint

RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: Profile Records ‎– PRO-7114
Format: Vinyl, 12″, 33 ⅓ RPM
Country: US
Released: 1986
Genre: Electronic
Style: Synth-pop

CREDITS:
Producer – Brian Chatton, Nick Richards
Remix – Shep Pettibone
Written-By – Chatton*, Richards*

NOTES:
Original version appears on the LP “BOYS DON’T CRY”

Find the 12″ at DISCOGS

VINYL RESTORATION BY:
-DjPaulT
burningtheground.net

EQUIPMENT USED:
Turntable: Pro-Ject Debut Carbon (DC)
Cartridge: Ortofon 2M
Stylus: Ortofon 2M Bronze
Isolation: Auralex Acoustics ISO-Tone Turntable Isolation Platform
Platter: Pro-Ject Acryl-It platter
Stabilizer: Pro-Ject Record Puck
DAC/Phono Pre-amp:
Alpha Design Labs GT40a USB DAC
Record Cleaning:
VPI HW 16.5 Record Cleaning Machine
Artwork Scans:
Epson Workforce WF-7610 Professional Printer/Scanner

SOFTWARE USED:
Recording/Editing: Adobe Audition 3.0 (Recording)
Down Sampling/Dither: iZotope RX Advanced 2
Artwork Editor: Adobe Photoshop CS5
Click Removal: Manual
FLAC/MP3 Conversion: dBpoweramp
M3U Playlist: Playlist Creator

RESTORATION NOTES:
All vinyl rips are recorded @ 32bit/float
FLAC (Level Eight)
Artwork scanned at 600dpi

Username: btg
Password: burningtheground

You can help show your support for this blog by making a donation using PayPal. Thank you for your help.